Day 16: T.E.A.M CBT: A novel therapy with quick results from lifelong mood and addiction issues

T.E.A.M CBT has been called cognitive therapy “on steroids”.

With a skilled therapist and the right work ethic from a patient, results can be seen after a few short hours. Any mood disturbances (e.g depression, anxiety), habit or addiction (e.g procrastination, smoking) or relationship problem (e.g spouse, parent) can be treated.

But what sets it apart from other forms of psychotherapy? Here are 4 unique factors:

1) Testing of emotional state — therapists don’t guess how patients feel. They test how depressed, suicidal, anxious, frustrated, happy they are on a brief mood survey BEFORE and AFTER a session. This allows a greater therapeutic connection and to track progress or deterioration over time. If something isn’t working, both therapist and patient are aware and can change track to optimise results.

2) Empathy — therapists use the “5 secrets of effective communication” to listen, reflect and explore concerns to form a deep rapport with patients. Therapists are even trained to ask for a grade on how well they are connecting. If things aren’t working, these tools allow therapists to navigate any frustration with humility and confidence to build deeper connections rather than losing trust.

3) Assessment of resistance — We all have subconscious resistance to change a bad emotional state. This is often due to GOOD reasons which reflect positive core values. E.g: anxiety can represent a sense of self protection, even self love. Therapists assume the role of a patient’s resistance to change and help them list 5–10 positive values for each painful emotion. Patients can then make a choice. Stay with the positive core values or perform the ‘hard work’ of therapy and work to defeat the thoughts causing them to suffer.

4) Methods — 50 different methods from cognitive, behavioural, psychodynamic, hypnosis and motivational schools of therapy create a treasure chest of ways to change a specific thought. The motto is ‘tools not schools’. If a method works to defeat the thoughts causing emotional pain, it’s incorporated into a recovery circle plan. This is used again when the thoughts inevitably return.

The aim is to trust your therapist, find negative thoughts, change them to positive and realistic alternatives and feel better instantly.

In summary: T= Testing, E= Empathy, A= Assess resistance, M = Methods. Testing and treating resistance are the key to speed or recovery.

Find out more on www.feelinggood.com